ED Freezes ₹2.78 Crore Assets in Sona Pappu Money Laundering Case Involving Former Kolkata DCP
The Enforcement Directorate has seized ₹2.78 crore in assets linked to a former Kolkata police official in a money laundering investigation.
Kolkata, November 12 (Daily Kiran) : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in the ‘Sona Pappu’ money laundering case by temporarily freezing assets worth ₹2.78 crore belonging to Shantanu Sinha Biswas, a former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Kolkata, along with properties linked to his family and associates.
The agency confirmed on Thursday that the seized assets include three flats in Kolkata and several plots of land in the Murshidabad district’s Kandi area. These properties were classified as “proceeds of crime” under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The investigation was initiated based on multiple FIRs filed by the West Bengal police against the notorious criminal Biswajit Poddar, also known as ‘Sona Pappu,’ and his associates, who face serious charges including murder, extortion, and land grabbing.
During the investigation, ED teams conducted raids in Kolkata and surrounding areas, searching the residences of Biswas, Jay S. Kamdar, and Poddar. The raids resulted in the confiscation of ₹1.64 crore in cash, gold jewelry, a Toyota Fortuner vehicle, an unlicensed revolver, and several important documents and digital devices.
Following these raids, all three suspects were arrested and are currently in judicial custody. The ED’s investigation revealed that their illicit earnings stemmed from extortion, illegal possession of real estate, and unauthorized construction activities. These operations were managed through entities controlled by Poddar, Kamdar, and their associates.
Investigators noted that Biswas, who was in charge of the Kalighat police station before becoming DCP, developed a close relationship with Kamdar during that time. He actively assisted Kamdar in his illegal activities, which significantly increased Kamdar’s influence within the police department. The ED further stated that Biswas directly and indirectly concealed and retained at least ₹2.89 crore obtained from criminal activities.
